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NBA DRAFT 2017June 22, 2017Isaiah HartensteinBrooklyn, New York Q. Could you start out with an opening statement what you'll bring to your new team, please? ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN: Just a lot of versatility. I mean, I think especially with my height, seven-foot, I can really put the ball on the ground, play the post, and what I really didn't show this year but I really can do and I kind of proved in most of the workouts, that I can really shoot, and I think especially with Houston, bringing -- laying the floor out, I can really help in that, and just rebounding and doing all those things on the court. Q. Can you tell how big is that for you? You're such a young guy, making the step to Lithuania was an interesting step. Some people said, ooh, difficult, and now you made it. How proud are you now? ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN: I mean, definitely just being in different situations in my life, coming from Eugene to Germany then to Lithuania really helped me mature as a player and as a person, and I think I was really ready for this step, and I think now just getting picked where I got picked, I think now I'm just coming in with another chip on my shoulder, and I think I'm just going to work as hard as I can and just -- yeah. Q. One more question concerning your family: Also your father who I guess was a very important person for you. Can you tell me about them, how important are they for you, for your career? ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN: Very important. I mean, me being around my dad really helped me a lot just being -- I mean, I've been around professionals since I was 11, practicing already when I was 15. Me coming in, I know the professional lifestyle, I know what everything costs on and off the cost. Just being a professional, I think I can really bring that to the team. Q. Obviously getting to the NBA was a major goal that you followed throughout your life. Now that you've accomplished that goal here in the league, do you have any goals going forward for your rookie year and just your career as a whole in the league? ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN: I mean, in my career I just want to be a winner. That's just -- just being a champion at the end of my career, that people know I'm a champion. That's probably the biggest thing. And rookie year is proving that I'm better than where I got picked at, and again, having a chip on my shoulder. I think even being picked, it's a good situation. Houston is a really good organization. Being picked by them is -- first of all, just want to thank them for picking me, and just going into it with a chip on my shoulder and just going to try to work harder and harder. Q. Do you know a lot about the Rockets organization going in? Do you have any background knowledge about the team and the franchise and the players? ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN: Definitely. James Harden is a big piece of them and they have a lot of shooters around him, and I think definitely I can also bring some shooting to the team, just helping James Harden out and being a good rebounder. First of all, I'm just blessed to be a part of this organization, and I'm just going to work my hardest. Q. Did you already talk with the other German NBA guys, with Dirk, with Dennis or Paul Zipser? ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN: I was in Chicago, had a workout with them, and so I talked a little bit with Paul, but not much. But in general that's probably the only guy I talked to before going into the draft. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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